


[Love Is But a War] - Chapter 6: Truth

by eeexohhh



Series: Love Is But a War [7]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Historical, M/M, Rating: NC17, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-21 07:53:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3684186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eeexohhh/pseuds/eeexohhh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luhan fights for freedom; Sehun fights for revenge. But there is good in the bad and bad in the good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	[Love Is But a War] - Chapter 6: Truth

**Author's Note:**

> WARNINGS: Sexual content (includes het scene / prostitution), death (not lead characters), minor violence and heavy reading :P
> 
> Hello, thank you for reading! It's been quite a while since I last updated...I apologise in advance for any mistakes as I do not have a beta reader.
> 
> BEFORE YOU BEGIN:  
> 1\. Please note that some of these events happen concurrently (as in they happen around the same time, just in a different POV)  
> 2\. Guzheng is a Chinese instrument (the ones with many strings)
> 
> Since the last chapter was heavily focused on Luhan, this chapter focused heavily on Sehun. As per the chapter title, this chapter revolves around the concept of 'truth'; mainly people showing their real selves. We get a glimpse of another side of Sehun; a softer, more humane side to him. We also dig a little into his past that contributed to his cold and cruel personality.
> 
> Lastly, though I am not sure how much longer the fic will span, I can already see the end...but please look forward to the next chapter! 
> 
> P.S How good is exo's comeback?!?! I ended up buying two albums: one Korean and one Chinese lol!
> 
> Please visit me on tumblr (eeexohh) or livejournal (eeexoh) as I update those before I update AO3. Once again, thank you so much for reading and please enjoy!

**CHAPTER 6: TRUTH**  
  
After two months in Jia Li, Sehun was finally going home. He had been in a bad mood since the first week he arrived in Jia Li. He hated working on national affairs because negotiations were never really negotiations  
  
This was a prime example of troublesome.  
  
Jia Li was under a military dictatorship, lead by an influential figure known as Wu Yifan. Sehun would have obliterated the stupid country if it wasn't for the fact that Huo Ting imported its weapons from them. Jia Li had the metal reserves that Huo Ting lacked. Currently, Jia Li limited the number of weapons and armours they sold to each country to reduce the likelihood of these countries successfully overthrowing them. The only country that Jia Li did not export their goods to was Yu Long.  
  
If the trip was successful, Sehun could remove this limit on Huo Ting so his country would be capable of defending itself from attacks in the short and long term. He came to negotiatie a foreign alliance but left empty handed because of the other man's unreasonable demands.  
  
"1,000 gold pieces every month and 40% of our wine production...the man is over his head!"  
  
When it came to rice wine, Huo Ting was on top. No other country could make rice wine like they did. There was a slight bitterness, as with most alcoholic beverages, but the sweet aftertaste balanced it out well.  Only Huo Ting could make rice wine of that quality. Wine production kept the country prosperous as many other countries would import the product.  
  
"Your Majesty, patience is important. Although the current negotiations have fallen apart, a foreign alliance with Huo Ting will be still very beneficial for Jia Li."  
  
Xiumin reined his horse closer to the side of Sehun's carriage.  
  
"Yu Long and Huo Ting have been in a feud since long before your father's rule. Yu Long knows that Huo Ting uses weapons and armours from Jia Li. Since Yu Long has their own metal reserves, they would not hesitate to attack Jia Li first. Cut off the supply and Huo Ting will have a shortage. A country with no weapons or armour cannot defend itself."  
  
For many generations, Yu Long and Huo Ting have had a bitter relations. The reason why there have been no wars of any sort was because of the unwritten truce that was negotiated by Zhang Yixing when he served for Sehun's father. However, since his father's death, Yu Long has acted strangely to the point where the truce was questionable.  
  
"If we stock up on them before hand?" Sehun was starting to get a headache from dealing with all these issues.  
  
"If we stock up before hand, we won't have much money during that time for our other plans. The orphanages and schools that is on the national agenda will require a high upfront investment. Many workers will be required and the cost of building will also be quite high as Your Majesty would like several of them built throughout the country."  
  
That made sense to Sehun but they could afford to stock up now as he did not have plans to build that many orphanages and schools at once. He would like to see how the first ones went and if it was successful, then he would expand.  
  
"Thank you, Minister Xiumin."  
  
"My pleasure, Your Majesty." Xiumin smiled and bowed his head slightly before slowing his horse down until he was behind Sehun's carriage.  
  
Although Sehun was clear on what his plan of action was, he was merely testing Xiumin. So far, Xiumin's advice mostly aligned with his own logic,  but it was nothing more than that. He was aware that Xiumin's capabilities in the strategic and tactical realms surpassed his own but the other man has not yet shown any of that talent.  
  
If Xiumin was not going to be subservient, Sehun would just have to get rid of him once and for all.  


~~~

  
"Stop the carriage."  
  
Sehun got out of the carriage as it was lowered. After the long journey home, he wanted to check up on one of the orphanages near the palace.  
  
"Your Majesty, welcome back." The workers bowed.  
  
"Thank you, please stand. How are the children?" Sehun followed the staff into the building and towards the courtyard.  
  
"They are good. All the children are excited to hear that you will be visiting today. Although there's one..."  
  
As they approached the courtyard, they could hear laughter; its purity and innocence calming Sehun.  
  
"Kids, His Majesty has arrived!"  
  
When the kids saw Sehun, their faces lit up even more as they rushed towards him.  
  
"Stop! Greet His Majesty properly!" The workers tried to stop them from running towards him but they did not listen. Almost immediately, they surrounded Sehun and jump all over him.  
  
"Big brother! We missed you!"  
  
Although Sehun had a troublesome two months, he could feel all the tension being released from his body. He patted their heads gently.  
  
"Have you been good? I heard that all of you are studying diligently."  
  
The children started pulling his hand, leading him into the building and into the study room. One of the children pointed at a paper stuck onto the board.  
  
"Big brother! I got top grades for the last test!"  
  
"Teacher said I can look after the vegetable garden!"  
  
Almost at once, the children started arguing on top of each other for his affections. Sehun couldn't help but  chuckle.  
  
"You all did well. I have brought everyone a gift." He turned to General Ma and Xiumin. "Please bring in the gifts."  
  
The gifts weren't much but orphans appreciate gestures of affection more so than the average child.  
  
As expected, the children got very excited about the gifts and almost immediately forgot about everyone in the room.  
  
"I didn't know you had this kind of side to you, Your Majesty."  
  
He eyed Xiumin carefully. "There are a lot of things you do not know about me, Minister Xiumin."  
  
Sehun turned and headed to the courtyard.  
  
"General Ma, you  and Minister Xiumin will stay here and look after the children. I will return soon."  
  
"Yes, Your Majesty."  
  
Children held a special place in Sehun's heart; they were the only thing pure and innocent in the world. He could let his guard down around them and not have to worry whether they were after his life.  
  
To Sehun, children needed to be protected. Most of all, they needed to be loved.  
  
A bitter taste filled his mouth with that last thought.  
  
As he reached the courtyard, he could see a teen sitting under the shade of a tree.  
  
"How have you been, Tao?"  
  
Without acknowledging his presence, the teen continued to stare emptily into the sky.  
  
Tao was one of the youngest child to be accepted into this orphanage. Now, he was the oldest to remain in this orphanage. It wasn't that no one wanted to adopt him; it was just that he intentionally chased them away by acting rudely. Sehun could understand why he was acting that way.  
  
"Can I sit here?"  
  
With no change in his expression, Tao merely nodded.  
  
"I heard you were doing really well in classes until the last two weeks. Did something happen?"  
  
Tao's cat-like eyes flickered to him for a moment before returning to the sky.  
  
"Nothing, I just think class is pointless."  
  
Sehun didn't believe him. "If something happened, tell me and I will help you."  
  
Tao sat up immediately; his face full of anger.  
  
"I said nothing happened! And you are not my big brother so don't stop pretending that you are!"  
  
Sehun felt that he shouldn't forcefully probe any further now that the conversation came to an abrupt end.  
  
"Do you mind if I practice his sword here?"  
  
Tao hugged his knees and looked away.  
  
"Do whatever you want. You're already doing that anyway."  
  
Sehun stood up and took a few steps away from where they were. He got into his usual stance and held the handle of his sword.  
  
Tao was not from Huo Ting. His cat-like eyes were a physical trait known to belong to Yu Long. How he got to Huo Ting, no one really knows. The workers at the orphanage found him sitting in front of the building, covered in blood and sleeping in a foetal position. For 3 years, he never spoke a word and the first words that came out of his mouth was to tell the workers to leave him alone. He remained at the orphanage ever since. He was now 17 years old and would have to leave the orphanage in a year's time.  
  
Sehun drew the sword quickly and forcefully.  
  
Elegant but brutal. Agile but precise.  
  
As he was finishing up his practice with a last slice, Sehun noticed Tao watching him interest.  
  
"Do you want to learn?"  
  
As though embarrassed, Tao looked away.  
  
"Come, you may use my sword for now"  


~~~

  
Sehun was greeted by his palace guards nervously.  
  
"Why are you all restless?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"When I ask a question, I expect an answer."  
  
The guards went down on their knees and kept their heads down.  
  
"My patience is wearing."  
  
"Your Majesty..." One of the senior guards spoke up. Sehun was starting to get angry.  
  
"The prisoner...he escaped."  
  
He had forgotten about Luhan during the two months abroad. This news refreshed his memory and his anger.  
  
"And did you find him?" Sehun gritted his teeth.  
  
Silence.  
  
"What about Zhang Yixing? Has he agreed yet?"  
  
Once again, no one spoke. Sehun shook his head in frustration. He was having a good day until now.  
  
"Dismissed. Do not come back into the palace until he is recaptured."  
  
As the guards left his presence, Sehun realised how exhausted he was from his journey. He headed towards the royal chambers but the door to his old bed chambers caught his eye. With a sudden change in mind, he decided to inspect the room instead.  


~~~

  
Sehun swiped his finger across the table top. The room collected some dust since he was gone.  
  
He sat down on the edge of the bed. It remained dishevelled and not a trace of the physical intimacy was left; the smell, the sounds, the human warmth were all gone; it seemed as though they never really existed in the first place.  
  
This room was where Sehun grew up in; a place where he was often left alone. It was also a room where he released his anger, frustrations and bitterness.  
Many people have laid beneath him on this bed but he could not remember their faces at all. It gave him a sense of control; one that was his wholeheartedly. However, it was only a temporary feeling since no one lasted for long, except one.  
  
Big eyes, small mouth. Neither fitting of any other man but him.  
  
The echoes of his cries and struggle resonated in his mind. Perhaps it was who he was that made it so much more memorable for Sehun. He could pour every single drop of negative feeling into that body and that man would drink it all up. He reached down towards his crotch. Contrasting the soft fabric of his robe pants was the hardness of his erection.  
  
Sehun slipped his hand into his pants. He let out a small, sharp breath as his hand made skin to skin contact with his erection.  
  
With his eyes closed, he gripped his cock and gave it a short but sharp stroke.  
  
Droplets of blood pooling on his white skin.  
  
Sehun stroked his shaft quicker.  
  
Droplets of tears streaming down his soft cheeks.  
  
He tightened his grip around his erection and stroked it faster. His heartbeat increased and his breathing became ragged. With each additional stroke, he could feel his body burn hotter and hotter.  
  
With a quiet grunt, Sehun ejaculated onto his hand. He removed his hand from his robe pants and looked at it.  
  
The thick, whitish liquid that stained his hand reflected the moonlight that had seeped into the room.  
  
He was not satisfied at all.  


~~~

  
Women and men of the night.  
  
Dimly lit with a red hue, the district was bustling with people. Laughter and small chatter filled the air, along with the thick smell of sexual desire.  
  
The place Luhan worked in was known as the Twelve Springs; a business known for the 12 beautiful women who sold their companionship.  
Drunken conversations and laughter travelled through the corridor as he moved quickly to bring food and drinks to each room.  
  
"Excuse me, I have brought food and wine." Luhan bowed his head as he slid open the door.  
  
Lady Rose, one of the top three workers in the district, was entertaining a frequent client with the guzheng. Men and sometimes women pay to see her perform. She was undoubtedly more talented than the average player.  
  
Luhan had a soft spot for Lady Rose. In the short time they had known each other, they immediately bonded and had a brother-sister relationship. They were close in age and Luhan felt that it was a pity that she was forced to work in such a place. He also believed that given the opportunity to further her guzheng lessons, she would have become a renowned musician.  
  
Lady Rose smiled at him and continued to focus on her playing.  
  
He closed the sliding door and got up to take his break. As he walked by the other rooms, the sound of the guzheng grew softer; replaced by the erotic sounds of moaning and panting. In one hand, he was really glad that Lady Rose was not forced to do such things, but on the other, his heart hurt knowing what the other girls had to do.  
  
Luhan stretched his arms when he reached outside of the building. In this district, the rich and the noble could be the person they hid in the day. Bottles of wine, which Luhan heard was one of the famous products of Huo Ting, littered the street.  
  
In this district, the night was only beginning.  
  
Secrets were hard to keep in a place where people let their guards down, especially when alcohol was involved. In a place where everyone's true self came to the surface, everyone had a mutual understanding that everyone else's matters were not their business. No one cared who you were, what you were doing here or why. This was the place where everyone could be themselves and have not a care in the world, even if it was just for one night.  
  
This was the precise reason Luhan chose to reside in this district. Another reason why he was so fond of Lady Rose was that she acted as his informant, passing on details of current affairs she heard from other people, especially her clients.  
  
Since he came here, Luhan had heard a lot of rumours. Rumours that relations between Huo Ting and Yu Long have soured recently. Although he was aware of the feud between the two, he knew there was indefinite truce where the two countries acknowledged to leave each other alone. He also heard there had been a spy that had been feeding Yu Long information for a long time; even before Jin Fu's rebellion.  
  
The secrets that Luhan were interested in were related to the royal palace. All he wanted was to find the easiest and safest way to rescue Xiumin.  
  
While walking down the street, some people tried to wave him down. Some thought he was a potential client while others thought he was a worker. At first, he was intimidated but after a while, he learned how to shrug it off.  
  
People from all sorts of background came here to survive.  
  
Luhan's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of commotion. Children, their hands tied together, were forcefully being dragged by several older men. As their cries got louder, one of the men turned around and slapped one of the children on the cheek. The child stumbled back into the other children and cried even louder.  
  
Luhan ran towards them immediately.  
  
"I said shut up! Blame your parents for being greedy!"  
  
As the man raised his hand to hit the child again, Luhan stood between the man and the children.  
  
"Please don't hit them, they are only children." Luhan put his hands in front of him to show his unwillingness to get into a physical confrontation. Though he would have fought the man, he was out numbered. Luhan knew he would lose and only make it worse for the children.  
  
"Will you please let them go?"  
  
The men laughed out loud. It sounded disgusting to Luhan.  
  
"For free?" The man arched his eyebrow.  
  
One of the bulkier men stepped forward. "You know where these children are going right? They will make much more money than you could offer."  
  
Luhan expected the response. As much as he wanted to help the children, he just didn't have the money. He only had 1 gold piece and 3 silver pieces in the pocket of his robe.  
  
"Is there nothing else?"  
  
The men laughed again. The bulky man looked him all over and Luhan clenched his fist in disgust.  
  
"If you work for us, maybe we'll consider it." The man put his hand on Luhan's shoulder and Luhan flinched. He pushed the hand away forcefully.  
  
"Thought so. Boy, the world runs on money. It's not like we enjoy doing this either. Now beat it or we'll have to beat you."  
  
Luhan clenched his fist tighter and closed his eyes tightly in frustration. He no longer had the power to change anything. Not by himself...not the way he was now.  
  
He shook with anger. He opened his eyes and with much conviction, he stepped towards them again. As he was about to yell out to them, he felt a tug on his robe sleeve. Luhan looked down and was met with a pair of eyes.  
  
Luhan squatted down and patted the little boy's head. "What is it? Now is not a good time, child."  
  
The little boy still clung to his robe sleeve. With his other hand, he held out a bag for Luhan to take.  
  
"A present?" Luhan tilted his head confusedly. The little boy nodded shyly and shook his hand, insisting that it was for Luhan.  
  
Luhan grabbed the bag and looked inside; it was filled with gold pieces.  
  
The child let go of his robe sleeve and ran off.  
  
"Wait!" As Luhan stood up, the child had disappeared into the sea of people.  
  
Although he felt uneasy having received money from someone he didn't know, with so many gold pieces in the bag, he knew what he had to do and he had no time to waste. He turned and ran towards the direction the men had left for.  
  
"Hey, I have what you want!"  


~~~

  
Soft and plump.  
  
Sehun had no problems getting it up. The woman was certainly beautiful, seductive and knew how to please.  
  
He moved his hands down from her breasts to her hips. He rocked back and forth roughly as she moaned loudly.  
  
His body might be burning but his heart felt cold. It was probably the same for her. It was a transaction between the two of them; there were no emotions in what they were doing.  
  
He let go of her hips and dropped onto his elbows; each on either side of her head. He dipped his face next to her and onto the pillow.  Focusing on the warm, wet sensation that enveloped him down below, he continued his rhythm until he was about to climax.  He let out a deep breath as he pulled out and finished on her stomach.  
  
As soon the orgasm came to an end, Sehun rolled onto his back. He felt the girl patting around the table, looking for her handkerchief to wipe off his semen.  
  
"There's going to be a bruise here tomorrow." The woman pointed to her hip. Sehun ignored the comment and grabbed out a few silver pieces from his pouch and handed it to her.  
  
She smiled and thanked him. Sehun waved his hand her to dismiss her from the room. The woman put on her robes, fixed her hair and left the room without looking back.  
  
Sehun had another stressful day at the palace. Jia Li suddenly retracted their proposal and placed their negotiations on hold without providing any reasons. Since Huo Ting could not stock up on armoury and weapons, there was more money left over than what they had budgeted. Although he was confident that Huo Ting had enough armoury and weapons to defend itself from attacks in the coming months, he was sure that his country would suffer in the long term. A certain percentage of the items would have wear and tear and would need to be replaced. If they could not enter into an alliance with Jia Li, the amount they could buy would be limited to a certain number. If left too late, they would be unable to replenish their stock fast enough to prevent an attack.  
  
Sehun gathered his robes and put them on. As he was in public and in a place that was frowned upon, he wore the commoner's robes: plain, simple and lacking embroidery. Sehun was fine with it as he enjoyed not having people's attention on him. Once he finished tying his sword to his side, he left the room.  
  
General Ma, also in commoner robes, bowed his head. Together, they left the building through the back entrance and into an alleyway that was lined with dim red lanterns; the only light source in the area.  
  
Sehun heard a commotion as he was about to step out into the street.  
  
Through the crowd, he could see a group of men talking loudly with a young man who had his back facing Sehun. It was none of his business so Sehun continued his way through the street. As he was about to turn, Sehun saw the man flinch as one of the men placed their hand onto his shoulder.  
Although it was only for a second, Sehun caught a glimpse of the man's face. It was definitely him. Although his hair was longer and he had lost some weight, Sehun knew it was him.  
  
"General Ma...do you see what I'm seeing?"  
  
He heard General Ma let out a little shocked whisper. Sehun found it funny how his guards could not find the man but he managed to do so inadvertently. He placed his hand in front of General Ma when he felt him walk towards Luhan's direction.  
  
"...the world runs on money. It's not like we enjoy doing this either. Now beat it or we'll have to beat you."  
  
When Sehun looked closer, he could see children being dragged by the group of men.  
  
_Ah_. So he was trying to help the children. Sehun looked around and found a little boy sitting on the side of the footpath.  
  
"Your Majesty..." General Ma whispered as Sehun stepped towards the child.  
  
Sehun quickly approached the boy. The boy seemed taken back and looked afraid when he returned Sehun's sharp gaze. He squatted down and patted the boy's head.  
  
"Do you want to make some money? I have something that I need you to do."  
  
The little boy's eyes lit up at the mention of money. Sehun couldn't help but feel a little bit sad. He quickly grabbed out another money pouch and handed it to the child.  
  
"Give this to that man over there." Sehun pointed at Luhan. "Go quickly and come back to big brother when you are done."  
  
Without hesitation, the boy disappeared into the crowd. Sehun continued to watch and saw Luhan disappear as he squatted down.  
  
After a moment, he saw Luhan's head pop up in the crowd again as he ran towards the group of men who had left earlier.  
  
Sehun was pleased that he could help the children but felt annoyed that Luhan was hiding in such a dirty place all this time. The event that unfolded in front of him gave him mixed feelings; someone who would go out of their way to help children couldn't be that bad of a person. Sehun was angry but not as furious as he thought he would be.  
  
Sehun felt a tug on his robe sleeves. He looked down at the boy as his thoughts were disturbed. He felt his face soften as he smiled at the boy.  
"This uncle here will take you somewhere nice. You will have a bed, meals and friends."  
  
He gently pushed the boy towards General Ma.  
  
"Take him to the orphanage. I will meet you back at the palace. You are dismissed."  
  
General Ma tried to protest but Sehun ignored him and turned to follow Luhan. For a few minutes, he could not find Luhan in the crowd of people. He looked around as he walked until he bumped into someone. It was a pretty girl who immediately clung onto his arm and tried to pull him away from the crowd.  
  
Sehun wasn't in the mood to be dealing with this. He grabbed the girl's arm and shoved her roughly. The girl screamed but he ignored her and continued walking through the crowd. All he could focus on was finding Luhan.  
  
After a few more minutes, Sehun found the group of men from earlier.  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
The men glared at him. "Watch your tone, boy."  
  
Annoyed, Sehun grabbed out a gold piece and threw it at one of the men. "Tell me where the man from earlier is. The one who gave you the bag of gold."  
The men grinned at the little surprise and pointed him the way.  
  
Sehun was starting to think that Luhan had slipped away from him again. As he continued to walk in the direction he was told, he finally spotted Luhan. Sehun took bigger strides and as he reached Luhan, he grabbed the man by the arm and pulled him into an alleyway.  
  
Luhan started struggling in his grasp, his back still facing towards Sehun. As they struggled around, Sehun managed to sweep a foot under Luhan's; causing the latter to lose his balance and fall. As Luhan fell, he hit his head on the wall.  
  
Sehun nudged him with his foot. The other man didn't respond.  
  
He squatted down besides the unconscious body. He placed one arm under Luhan's knees and the other to support his back.  
  
It was easier to recapture him than Sehun had expected. He walked back into the street and towards his carriage, all the while carrying Luhan in his arms.

  
~~~

  
Luhan's eyes flew open as he sat up. He looked around frantically and when he realised where he was, he wanted to scream.  
  
He was back in the palace with a throbbing headache. This was the last place to be. Not in this bed, not in the palace...  
  
The memories of what happened in this room flooded back and Luhan couldn't help but let out a cry in frustration.  
  
He heard the door open and Luhan felt his anxiety worsen when he saw who it was.  
  
As Sehun approached the bed, Luhan shuffled back into the corner of the bed.  
  
Sehun arched an eyebrow at his reaction but said nothing. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and watched Luhan. It was a pitiful sight that made Sehun very pleased.  
  
"Not fighting back this time? "  
  
Luhan didn't reply.  
  
Luhan felt the other man reach his hand towards him and instantly slapped the other man's hand away. "Please...don't."  
  
Sehun grabbed his arms and that was when Luhan heard screaming. He started to struggle in Sehun's grasps and heard Sehun yelling. Luhan felt a sharp stinging sensation on his cheek as he was slapped by Sehun. It was then that he realised that he had been the one screaming. He felt a pair of hands around his neck, squeezing them tightly; his outburst had triggered something in Sehun.  
  
"Someone who helps children despite his own unfortunate circumstances can't be that bad of a person. So tell me Luhan, why did you kill my father and in the way you did when you had already won the battle?"  
  
Sehun furrowed his brows in anger before letting go of Luhan's neck and pushing away.  
  
Without looking back, Sehun left the room; slamming the door on his way out.  
  
Luhan hugged his knees and tried to breathe deeply to calm himself. He could feel his heart beating and he felt sick to the stomach.  
  
He remembered everything Sehun did to him and he couldn't control the fear that was eating at him.

  
~~~

  
Sehun rested his head on the cold, stone coffin. With his finger, he drew random patterns on the stone top.  
  
If Sehun was being honest to himself, he could barely remember what his father looked like. His father rarely showed his face around Sehun as he was either busy with work or with women. The only time his father really looked at him was when Sehun did well in his studies.  
  
He loved his father but he wasn't really sure why he loved his father as much as he did. He was merely a successor to his father and the only thing important was that he could live up to his expectations.  
  
Inside the coffin was his father's body. Even after his death, Sehun wasn't be able to see his father's face ever again.  
  
The head was never recovered after the battle with Jin Fu. Sehun wondered how his father would look at him if he saw how much he achieved.  
  
He didn't have many memories of his father that stood out in particular, except for one. Sehun had ridden a horse by himself when he was ten years old. His father was standing by the pavilion and smiled at him proudly. It was the first time his father smiled at him and he remembered being so happy he cried.  
  
Sehun always believed that once he had come of age, his father would see him eye to eye.  
  
Sehun didn't want to think about it too much. If he did, he would feel vulnerable and let his guard down. He had to remain composed and cold to do his job properly; to survive another day. His mother's tomb was besides his father's but he never saw his mother as she passed away a few months after giving birth to him.  
  
Sehun got up and dusted his robe. He rarely visited the royal tombs and only did so when his mind was restless. The situation with Luhan caused him to remember things he didn't want to .  
  
The palace guards greeted him as he exited the royal tombs. Sehun felt more composed; as though he left the feelings that made him vulnerable back in the tombs. He knew what he had to do and was determined to go through with it.  
  
Tomorrow, he would execute Xiumin. As expected, the man was not complying as Sehun had wished.  
  
With the guards by his side, Sehun headed towards the cells where he held Xiumin.  
  
 As they reached closer to their destination, Sehun noticed something in the air.  
  
"Smoke..."  
  
Realising that something was wrong, Sehun gave commands immediately.  
  
"Go get the servants and get them to bring buckets of water. There is a fire at the prisoner cells!"  
  
His guards disbursed quickly at his orders and Sehun quickly headed towards the cells.  
  
Smoke emerged from the stairway leading to the underground cells. The servants had quickly gathered and entered the underground cells with buckets of water. It would take another 30 minutes before the fire died out.  
  
Some of the servants sat on the floor, coughing from smoke inhalation.  
  
"Wake the palace doctors and have them treat the servants." The guard quickly disappeared at his command. Sehun turned to the servants. "You may take tomorrow off and rest. The doctors will visit the servant quarters and treat you. You are dismissed."  
  
A guard approached Sehun. "Your Majesty, there is something you might want to look at".  
  
Sehun followed the guard down to where the holding cells were located. The smoke had mostly subsided but it was still a bit difficult to see.  
  
"The two guards were burnt to death. The prisoners have also perished..."  
  
Sehun squinted. He could make out a body on the ground near the guard table; burnt to the point where he could not be recognised. As they walked past the dead guard, they were greeted with more charred bodies in each cell.  
  
Sehun quickly walked to the cell that housed Xiumin. Another burnt body was found lying outside of Xiumin's cell. The body armour was still intact; it must have been the other guard.  
  
Sehun looked inside the cell. He approached the door and nudged it with his feet, causing it to swing open. Sehun stepped inside and squatted next to the body. It was charred and the smell of burnt meat filled Sehun's nose. Sehun couldn't help but grimace.  
  
"The prison guards must have tried to get him out, Your Majesty."  
  
"How did the fire start?" The fire did his job for him so Sehun wasn't too concerned.  
  
"Your Majesty, we found the metal handle of a lantern on the floor beside the first cell near the entrance. The hay laid in the cell must have caught on fire and spread. We believe that the guards may have had too much to drink. There were a few bottles of wine that managed to survive the fire. To have fallen asleep on watch, they had it coming..."  
  
"Idiots..." Sehun was a bit annoyed to know that such a thing happened because his guards couldn't keep it together. He was also slightly annoyed that he couldn't oversee Xiumin's death but nevertheless, the man was dead and Sehun was very pleased about that.  
  
"Take the bodies out and throw them outside of the country gates."

  
~~~

  
Luhan woke up in the middle of the night; having had an unsettling dream of drowning in darkness.  
  
He could hear yelling in the distant and the distinct smell of smoke was in the air.  
  
"What's going on?" Luhan sat up from his bed, the blanket slipping down and pooling at his waist.  
  
There was no reply from the guards outside.  
  
"Is there a fire?"  
  
Once again, there were no replies. They must have left him for whatever was happening.  
  
As he was about to slip back into the blankets and go back to sleep, Luhan heard a bang. He sat back up and looked at the door. The door shook violently. There was a shadow at the door; someone was trying to break into the room.  
  
As quickly as it started, the shadow paused, turned its head to the left and then disappeared in the opposite direction.  
  
Luhan heard footsteps approach the door. Another two shadows stood by the door. The jingling of keys could be heard before the door opened. One of the guards stepped in and looked straight towards him to make sure he was still inside. Once satisfied, the guard stepped back outside and locked the door again.  
  
Luhan sat in silence, unsure of how he should make of what had just happened.  


~~~

  
The morning came but no one came by the old royal chambers. It wasn't until late noon that Xiao Yue came, bringing along his first meal for the day.  
  
"Are you okay, Xiao Yue?" Luhan picked up his chopsticks eagerly and waited for the food to be placed in front of him. He had noticed that she was restless and was avoiding looking at him.  
  
"Mmmm..." She replied as she packed the lids away. For only a moment, she looked at him directly. She looked guilty and Luhan knew that something was up.  
  
"Did something happen yesterday? I heard a commotion during the middle of the night."  
  
"Ah...yeah, there was a fire in the palace last night. Some people didn't make it out alive..."  
  
"Oh..." Luhan took a bite of the braised fish. He felt he should change the subject but Xiao Yue was already a step ahead of him.  
  
"His Majesty said he will allow you outside of the room on the condition you do not step one foot outside of the palace without his permission."  
  
Luhan stopped chewing. "What?"  
  
She nodded to reassure him he had heard correct. "His Majesty has ordered Xiao Yue to take you to meeting hall after your meal."  


~~~

  
Sehun sat the end of the meeting hall as the palace ministers gathered, with one of them holding a box.  
  
"Your Majesty, one of the guards by the palace gates was given this box by a girl..."  
  
Sehun had an ominous feeling about the contents inside the box. It was still early in the morning and for something like this to happen right after last night's events, it did not sit well with him.  
  
"You may come closer." The minister with the box walked towards him, seeming to look more ill with every step he took towards him.  
  
He knelt down and presented the box to Sehun. Sehun nodded at the box and one of the guards went and took the box from the nauseous-looking man.  
  
As soon as the guard took a step up the stairs, a disgusting smell hit Sehun.  
  
"Your Majesty..."  
  
Sehun could understand the minister's feelings as the box came closer to him. He didn't want to touch the box.  
  
"Open it."  
  
The guard unwrapped the fabric covering the box and open the lid. One look was enough to make Sehun freeze in his seat. He felt ill to the core and he could hear the blood pumping in his ears and he suddenly felt light headed.  
  
No longer able to hold it in, Sehun vomited to the side. A servant who was still able to work today rushed to his side, passing a cloth to Sehun to wipe his mouth. A few moments later, another servant entered the meeting hall with a bucket of water and a cloth and began cleaning up the mess.  
  
Sehun was shaken up. He gripped the arm rest of his seat tightly.  
  
The ministers and the guards dropped to their knees. "Your Majesty...!"  
  
"Find her IMMEDIATELY!"  
  
Several of the guards ran out of the meeting hall. No one dared to disturb the silence in the room.  
  
Sehun flicked his eyes towards one of the more nervous palace ministers. He gritted his teeth to keep his voice from shaking.  
  
"YOU, what are you hiding?"  
  
The minister stammered. "T-there was a letter..."  
  
"GIVE it to me."  
  
The man rushed towards him, disregarding palace etiquette and personally handing the letter to Sehun. He ripped open the envelope and pulled out a small parchment.  
  
There were only three words but three were enough for Sehun to understand.

 

  


 

 

 

 

_it wasn't him_

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
